Full Details: Zim police officer shot dead by CID detective during arrest of armed robbery suspect

A Zimbabwe Republic Police(ZRP) officer was shot dead by a colleague while pursuing a robbery suspect on Saturday, an internal police memo reveals.

The deceased identified as Detective Constable Taambutseni from Chivhu Police Station, was shot in the pelvis with an AK 47 rifle fired by a CID colleague.

Taambutseni was part of a nine-man police team in pursuit of Mussa Denge, 43, who was wanted in connection with the theft of motor vehicles in Kadoma and Bulawayo.

The police team included four detectives from the CID Vehicle Theft Squad in Bulawayo, including Detective Sergeant Masanzu Zisengwe, who was armed with an AK 47 rifle.

After tailing Denge’s vehicle from Chivhu centre to the main residential suburb in the small town, the police memo says the officers watched the suspect drive into a house.

The officers jumped out of their vehicle and went into the house on foot. Zisengwe, the memo says, was firing warning shots in the meantime.

“Taambutseni was first to get to the accused person, and when he was about to grab the accused person, he was shot on the pelvis,” the memo says, without clarifying who shot Taambutseni.

Zisengwe is blamed for firing the fatal shot, a confidential source revealed.

 

POLICE REPORT

MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT: SHOOTING INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED AT HOUSE NUMBER 10 CHIVHU, LOCATION.

This memorandum serves to put on record the shooting of D/Cst Taambutseni:-

CIRCUMSTANCES.

On 8 February 2020, a team from CID Vehicle Theft Squad Bulawayo led by D/A/I Gadzai accompanied by D/Sgt Zisengwe D/Sgt Maronga and 053 N D/Cst Madamure reported at CID Chivhu.

The team was on a follow up of information of an accused person Mussa Denge aged 43years, who was wanted for robbery of motor vehicles which occurred in Bulawayo and Kadoma .

The Officer-In-Charge CID Chivhu gave the team backup of 5 members comprising of Detective Sergent Koke, Detective Constable Taambutseni, Detective Constable Nezandonyi, Detective Constable Mhiko and Detective Constable Mupazviripo to track down the accused person.

The team observed the accused person driving a Toyota Wish Silver in colour registration AAF 7378 from Chivhu Town going to Chivhu location.

The team followed up to Chivhu location where accused drove his vehicle to stand number 10 Chivhu location, Chivhu. Detective Sgt Zisengwe was armed with an AK Rifle Serial number ZRP 1306 .

The accused person drove his vehicle through the gate at house number 10 Chivhu town-ship and parked the vehicle in the yard.

The team disembarked from their vehicle in pursuit of the accused person and Detective Sgt Zisengwe was firing warning shots at the same time. Detective Cst Taambutseni was first to get to the accused person and when he was about to grab the accused person he was shot on the pelvis.

The team managed to arrest the accused person and immediately rushed D/Cst Taambutseni to Chivhu General Hospital where he later died due to injuries sustained.

Two spent cartridges were picked up at the scene.